Horsefriends international

What if horses are not showing problem behaviour at all?

What if what we label as conflict, resistance, or dysfunction
is actually normal behaviour expressed under abnormal conditions?

In this episode, Celina Skogan, trainer, osteopath and founder of Equidemia, explores how our perception of “normal” horse behaviour may be shaped by environments that are anything but normal.

Drawing from equine welfare science, human trauma research, and personal observations after relocating to Norway, this episode challenges the idea that calm, compliant behaviour automatically equals wellbeing.

In this episode, we explore what gait analysis actually means and why it matters.

We cover:

- Veterinary gait analysis – classic “lame or not lame” approach

- Objective gait analysis – tech tools & AI measurement

- Subjective analysis – what the eye perceives

- Riding instructor perspective – influenced by training philosophy

- Functional gait analysis – understanding load limits & movement units

Plus a practical exercise using markers and video review — perfect for a Christmas learning project. And finally, a note about our free Compass Call for personal support.

Key Take-aways
⭐ Gait analysis is more...

In this episode, Celina Skogan from Equidemia speaks with Alissa Mayer BSc (Equine), EHSE-C, director of the Equine Hanna Somatics® Professional Training & Certification Program, about how Hanna Somatics principles can be applied to horses — why chronic tension isn’t just a mechanical issue, how the nervous system learns and unlearns movement, and what this means for prehab, rehab and training.

This conversation bridges neuroscience, motor learning, pain science and equine performance, offering a fresh perspective on posture, comfort and movement quality — and reframing persistent muscle tension as a neurophysiological learning pattern that can be retrained, not just worked...

In this episode, I talk about cognitive dissonance in the horse world: why we do what we know we shouldn’t – and how to move from maybe to integrity. We revisit Festinger’s theory, real barn-life examples, and research showing how humans often adjust perception when they don’t want to change behaviour. Pop-culture bridge: Fettes Brot – “Jein”. The perfect anthem for ambivalence.